LGBT Center of Greater Cleveland

Founding and History

The LGBT Center of Greater Cleveland was founded in 1975 as the Gay Education and Resource (GEAR) Foundation and began publishing what it claims was Ohio’s first gay newspaper, High Gear. In 1988, the group changed its name to the Lesbian/Gay Community Service Center of Greater Cleveland, changing it again to LGBT Center of Greater Cleveland in 2005. ³

In 2023, the center signed onto a statement published by the Human Rights Campaign condemning Target’s decision to remove LGBT-Pride and transgender-themed clothing allegedly targeted at children in response to public backlash. ⁴

Financials

For 2024, the LGBT Center of Greater Cleveland reported $4,252,018 in revenues, of which $3,677,057 was derived from grants and contributions, notably an increase of nearly $2 million from 2023. It generated an additional $513,734 from program service revenues and $61,227 from investment income. It received $3,389,744 in government funding, making up nearly 80 percent of its total revenue for the year. ¹

The center reported $2,901,719 in expenses, of which $1,271,854 was spent on employee salaries and wages with an additional $1,629,865 classified as other expenses. These expenses included $96,045 in office expenses, $28,965 in IT costs, $161,803 for occupancy, $47,112 for travel, $306,789 for Pride costs, and $171,891 in program materials. ⁵

It ended the year with a surplus of $1,350,299 and net assets of $9,199,112. ⁶

The above figures are based on the group’s 2024 990 form filed with the Internal Revenue Service. However, the numbers do not match the group’s own annual 2024 report. The form states that the group received $3,389,744 in government funding and $281,088 in all other contributions. However, the group’s annual report states that it only received $65,907 in government support. Notably, the group also received a $2 million grant from Mackenzie Scott’s Yield Giving in 2024. ^{7  8}

The source of this discrepancy is not clear as of February 2026. Looking at previous-year tax returns, the center reported significant government funding in previous years that greatly exceeds $66,000, such as $1,280,531 in 2022 and $880,669 in 2023. ^{9  10}

Organization Philosophy

The LGBT Center of Greater Cleveland promotes left-of-center views on issues of sexuality and gender. The group’s executive director, Phyllis Harris, criticized President Donald Trump’s comments at the 2026 State of the Union address calling for protections against children being “socially transitioned” to change their sex by school officials without parental knowledge or consent. Harris framed these comments as cruel and as attacks on the children he labeled as vulnerable and in need of protection. ^{3  11}

The center also promotes LGBT-inclusivity workshops for businesses and other organizations. ¹²

Projects and Initiatives

The LGBT Center of Greater Cleveland administers many community programs and events for LGBT people. These groups include meetings geared towards LGBT teachers, queer pagans, transgender people, and transgender people with autism. Notably, the transgender people with autism group is open to 16 and 17 year-old participants. ¹³

The group also maintains an activist effort, which tracks legislation in the Ohio legislature and mobilizes members to support or oppose pending bills. As of February 2026, the group was opposing an update to the Indecent Exposure Act, claiming that it would ban drag shows for children. ²

Leadership

Phyllis Harris is the executive director of the LGBT Center of Greater Cleveland, a position she has held since April of 2012. She previously worked as a youth initiatives manager with Planned Parenthood of Northeast Ohio. ^{14  11}